The Fisheries Standard 3.1

Our Standard is based on the United Nations FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and reflects the most up-to-date understanding of fisheries science and best practice in fisheries management. 

We regularly review our Standard to ensure it remains the leading measure of fisheries sustainability. Version 3 of our Standard was published in October 2022, with an amended version (3.1) published in July 2024.

Version 3.1 contains a series of amendments that address technical issues that became apparent during assessments and testing. 

Read our Summary of Amendments

Key topics

Our Standard contains significant improvements to address some of the most difficult issues facing the oceans, including better protections for marine biodiversity and incentivising stronger ocean governance. 

The key changes introduced in Version 3 (and amendments introduced in Version 3.1) are detailed below. 

Implementation of stock-wide harvest strategies

New requirements were introduced for fisheries managed by Regional Fisheries Management Authorities (RFMOs), including those targeting tuna, to develop effective stock-wide harvest strategies. 

In acknowledgement of the longer timeframes needed by RFMOs to agree to and implement changes, fisheries will be given longer to develop and adopt harvest strategies and will be required to meet specific milestones. However, to counterbalance this longer timeframe, fisheries must achieve a higher level of performance (SG 100) by the end of the process. 

Find out more about the new requirements and impacts for RFMO-managed tuna fisheries.

Greater protection for marine species

We have strengthened our requirements to ensure that impacts on endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species are reduced, and populations that have been impacted are allowed to recover. 

Our new process for classifying species ensures that more species are considered as ETP during an assessment, and provides additional safeguards that fisheries must comply with to avoid bycatch or entanglements. These requirements now cover all marine mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles – species which cannot be targeted by MSC certified fisheries, also known as 'out-of-scope'. 

In Version 3.1, we clarified how assessors should consider in-scope species (fish and invertebrates) that are managed as commercial fisheries but also appear on national lists of ETP species. We also clarified the process for categorising catch as ‘negligible’ based on whether a species is in-scope or out-of-scope.

An updated Risk-Based Framework

We updated our Risk-Based Framework, a tool used to support the assessment of data-limited fisheries, to ensure a precautionary approach is taken during assessments and that outcomes are more accurate.

A further review of the Risk-Based Framework launched in July 2024 and will consider whether thresholds need to be recalibrated to ensure assessments are based on the intended level of precaution, and whether the Framework can be applied efficiently. 

Reducing gear loss and ghost gear impacts

Our requirements were strengthened to ensure the impacts of gear loss and ghost fishing are explicitly considered during every fisheries assessment. Fisheries must also have effective measures in place to minimise gear loss and mitigate the impact of any lost gear. 

However, feedback highlighted that these requirements were unclear and were being misinterpreted by assessors. We introduced clarifications in Version 3.1 and removed conflicts between the requirements and guidance to ensure assessments focus on whether management measures are present and expected to work. 

The requirements on gear loss and ghost fishing also apply to fish aggregating devices (FADs): fisheries will need to account for any lost FADs and demonstrate how they are avoiding and managing losses.

Protecting habitats and ecosystems

We clarified our requirements to ensure fisheries are not causing serious or irreversible harm to sensitive marine habitats and ecosystems. This includes clarifying how the sensitivity of a habitat should be assessed, based on the time it takes to recover from the impacts of fishing. 

Clarified requirements and new guidance will also ensure that fishery impacts on key low trophic level species, are assessed more consistently and that a precautionary approach is taken. This will also ensure that fisheries targeting species such as sardines, anchovies and krill, are not impacting the wider ecosystem.  

Version 3.1 clarifies how assessors should define the ‘unimpacted’ state of a habitat, and that fisheries are not held responsible for damage that occurred before it was recognised that the habitat in question required protection. 

 

Shark finning prevention

We strengthened our requirements to further ensure the abhorrent practice of shark finning is not taking place in MSC certified fisheries. All fisheries that retain sharks are now required to have a Fins Naturally Attached policy in place, with no exceptions. 

The shark finning requirements also clarify our definition of a “shark” (Selachimorpha - “true sharks” - and Rhinopristiformes, e.g. shovel-nosed rays and guitarfish), which has been extended to cover all species most vulnerable to shark finning. 

In Version 3, assessors were required to use both the MSC definition and the fishery management agency’s definition, if additional species were included. However, this was leading to inconsistent outcomes. In Version 3.1, the requirement has been amended to require assessors to use the MSC definition only. 

Evaluating the quality of evidence used to assess fisheries

We developed a new tool - the Evidence Requirements Framework - to ensure the evidence used to assess a fishery is of a consistently high standard. The Framework was designed to support the assessment of fisheries’ environmental impacts, including adherence to shark finning requirements, and compliance with management regulations. 

We also clarified our guidance for the assessment of fisheries’ monitoring, control and surveillance systems, which will help ensure best practice is being applied and make assessments more consistent. 

In July 2024, we launched an external review of the Evidence Requirements Framework. It was always our intention to review the new Framework to ensure it was working as intended, however this review has been brought forward following feedback from our stakeholders.

Improved Standard efficiency

We simplified language throughout the Standard and removed redundant or ambiguous requirements to make assessments more efficient. This includes significant clarifications across Principle 2, where 15 scoring issues were removed.

We clarified our guidance to support the assessment of fisheries with highly fluctuating stocks and those targeting short-lived species, such as cephalopods and crabs. The year-on-year variability of such stocks means assessments can be challenging, and a precautionary approach must be taken. We have also improved the readability of our modified assessment trees for salmon, bivalves and introduced species.

New guidance has also been provided on the assessment of inseparable or practicably inseparable species. Using a five-year average reference point will improve understanding of the composition of the catch and ensure assessments are more precautionary.

New eligibility criteria

To ensure only fisheries fully committed to sustainability can be assessed against our Standard, we have introduced new scope criteria. Vessels involved in or convicted of fraud or serious maritime crimes will be ineligible for assessment. This is in addition to the pre-existing exclusion of fisheries convicted of forced and child labour violations or shark finning.

If you have any questions, please contact your local MSC Fisheries Representative or [email protected]